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SEC commissioner stands firm on weekend games and CFP expansion
TL;DR
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey opposes expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, advocating for more data before any changes. He believes that such an expansion could diminish the significance of the regular season.
Key points
- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey opposes 24-team playoff expansion
- Current College Football Playoff format includes 12 teams
- SEC has adopted a nine-game conference schedule
Right now, nothing in college football feels settled. The College Football Playoff format keeps shifting, the transfer portal is more active than ever, and NIL has pushed some athletic departments to cut sports just to keep up with football roster spending. But amid all the chaos, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has drawn at least one firm line in the sand.
The biggest debate centers on the future size of the CFP. The field currently stands at 12 teams, but the committee is actively considering a jump to 24 after a strong push from the Big Ten. Sankey isnāt sold. He wants more data before even considering a 24āteam bracket, though he has shown some openness to a sixāgame model, especially now that the SEC has moved to a nineāgame conference schedule.
To Sankey, expanding to 24 teams risks cheapening the very thing that makes college football special: the weight of every single Saturday. The sportās appeal has always been tied to its razorāthin margin for error. Every week feels like a playoff. A 24āteam field risks turning the regular season into something closer to college basketball, where the postseason overshadows everything else.
And while expansion may be framed as āfairness,ā fans see the obvious. Itās a money grab. Conferences want more teams in the dance, more inventory, more revenue. Sankey may be willing to entertain some of those conversations, but thatās not where heās taken his strongest stance.
His firmest line came on scheduling.
Speaking to reporters at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (APSE) Southeast Regional meeting, Sankey was asked why the SEC refuses to play regular games on days other than Saturday. His answer was blunt.
āFor everybody that thinks we just grab money, we could grab money just by putting games on different nights of the week.ā
In other words, the SEC isnāt budging. Expansion? Maybe. Format tweaks? Possibly. But weekday football? Not happening.
For all the uncertainty swirling around the sport, Sankey made one thing clear: some traditions still matter, and the SEC isnāt trading Saturdays for a bigger check.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Greg Sankey holds line on Saturday SEC games and CFP expansion
Q&A
Why does SEC commissioner Greg Sankey oppose a 24-team College Football Playoff?
Greg Sankey opposes the 24-team playoff because he believes it could cheapen the regular season's significance and prefers more data before considering such an expansion.
What is the current format of the College Football Playoff?
The current College Football Playoff format includes 12 teams, but there are discussions about potentially expanding it to 24 teams.
How has the SEC's conference schedule changed recently?
The SEC has moved to a nine-game conference schedule, which has influenced discussions about the College Football Playoff format.